Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov abuses football referee on tannoy

Ramzan Kadyrov is the President of FC Terek GroznyKazbek Basayev/AFP/Getty Images

A fan who heckled a referee in Russia on Sunday did what millions of football supporters do every weekend, with just three small exceptions.

One: Ramzan Kadyrov is the President of FC Terek Grozny, the club that was being held to a frustrating 0-0 home draw at the time.

Two: as head of the Russian Republic of Chechnya he has been accused by human rights activists of the systematic kidnap, torture and murder of opponents, a reputation that could reasonably be said to have put unfair pressure on the referee if the young man had heard him.

Three: Mr Kadyrov was shouting into the stadium announcer’s microphone at the time.

Last night the Kremlin-installed leader confirmed that he was the man behind the heckle. “Yes,…

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